clinical significance of late onset arthritis in kawasaki disease

Objectives: the aim of this study was to report the prevalence, clinical course, and sequela of arthritis in kawasaki disease (kd), and to establish its relationship to coronary outcomes. methods: we retrospectively reviewed the records of 524 patients between march 2006 and february 2016. results: the overall prevalence of arthritis was 17.6 % (n = 92/524) and among them, 21 cases (22.8%) had late-onset arthritis and they were older (32.7±12.1 vs. 62.523.8 months), had longer fever duration (5.8±1.94 vs. 7.11±2.51 days), more frequent swelling or redness of extremities (35.2 vs. 71.5%), higher neutrophil counts (58.69±13.84 vs. 72.16±16.43%), and higher prohormone brain-type natriuretic peptide levels (probnp, 1343.80±1080.44 vs. 3754.42±4272.71 pg/ml) than patients with early onset arthritis. coronary artery changes were not different and no patients complained of chronic arthritic changes, regardless of arthritis type. conclusions: although late-onset arthritis was found in kd patients who were older with longer fever duration, more frequent swelling or redness of extremities, higher neutrophil counts, and higher probnp levels than early-onset arthritis patients, there was no statistical significance between arthritis onset type and coronary artery changes, and outcomes were excellent with no chronic arthritis change.